


All That I Want

by CloversDreams



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Domesticity, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Modern AU, Reminiscing, Smoking, Soulmate AU, always have always will, high school sweethearts, in a vague sense, no petrification, past bullying, they just fit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:20:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25786501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloversDreams/pseuds/CloversDreams
Summary: It was the return address that caught Stanley’s eye. That company… where had he seen the name before? Realization struck him like a ton of bricks and his mouth fell open just enough for the cigarette to plummet out from between his lips.Stanley managed to catch it with a show of lightning-fast reflexes, burning his palm in the process, but that didn’t matter. He put it out in the ashtray near the mail then hurried through his home. This specific company came into existence a few years ago. It specialized in one thing. Using genetic testing to isolate and either confirm or deny the recently discovered Soulmate Gene.The fact that someone found such a thing sounded like it was right out of a fairytale, but it was true. Honest to god science made fantasies of finding the person that was your perfect match possible. It was a groundbreaking discovery and labs just like the one that sent this letter quickly popped up all over the world. Not that any of that mattered right now. Stanley finally reached his husband's lab and burst in without even knocking. He waved the manila envelope in the air and asked loudly, “What exactly is the meaning of this?”
Relationships: Stanley Snyder/Dr. Xeno
Comments: 4
Kudos: 70





	All That I Want

Stanley hummed to himself as he opened the front door of his home. The sun shined as elegantly as ever and he had to hold his hand over his eyes in order not to squint from the brightness. It was a lovely day for a celebration, if he did say so himself. He surveyed his surroundings during the short walk over to the mailbox. It was quiet, as he preferred. The guests wouldn’t be arriving for a few hours so it’d probably stay that way for a bit.

He continued to hum around the cigarette between his lips as he opened the little box to retrieve the day’s letters. Once the box was shut again, he continued back down the walkway and towards the house. Stanley casually flipped through the mail as he walked. Bills, a scientific magazine that made absolutely no sense to him, an add for a hair care product he ‘just _had_ to try’– nothing exciting about the usual stuff.

He stepped back inside and shut the door behind himself. There was a manila envelope in the pile that had caught his attention. That kind of thing was less common so it stood out. He set the rest of the mail down on the small table nearby and looked it over.

It was addressed to Xeno. That wasn’t exactly interesting in itself since they were married and all that. Of course mail was bound to arrive for both of them. No, it was the return address that caught Stanley’s eye. That company… where had he seen the name before? Realization struck him like a ton of bricks and his mouth fell open just enough for the cigarette to plummet out from between his lips.

Stanley managed to catch it with a show of lightning-fast reflexes, burning his palm in the process, but that didn’t matter. He put it out in the ashtray near the mail then hurried through his home. This specific company came into existence a few years ago. It specialized in one thing. Using genetic testing to isolate and either confirm or deny the recently discovered Soulmate Gene.

The fact that someone found such a thing sounded like it was right out of a fairytale, but it was true. Honest to god science made fantasies of finding the person that was your perfect match possible. It was a groundbreaking discovery and labs just like the one that sent this letter quickly popped up all over the world. Not that any of that mattered right now. Stanley finally reached his husband’s lab and burst in without even knocking. He waved the manila envelope in the air and asked loudly, “What exactly is the meaning of this?”

“Is there a reason you burst in here shouting, Stan?” Xeno asked without looking up from what he was doing. He removed a pair of goggles from his eyes and set them atop his head. After waiting for a response and seeing he’d get none he finally sighed, “It seems to be an envelope.”

“Yeah? Does it?” Stanley tossed it onto the ground and watched it slide over towards Xeno’s feet.

The doctor’s gaze fell to the envelope in question. His curiosity got the better of him, as it so often did, and he picked it up. When he saw the company on the return label he let out a soft, “Ah.”

A million and one thoughts raced through Stanley's head. A storm of fear and doubt the likes of which he’d never known before brewed within him. He didn’t have the self-control to stop himself from blurting out the loudest thoughts right now. Stanley clenched his hands into fists and asked, “Am I not enough for you? Do you really need to know whether or not you’re missing out on being with someone else?”

“You misunderstand, that wasn’t my intention at all,” Xeno replied. He shook his head then sighed, “What terrible timing for this to arrive.”

“No, I think it’s _great_ ,” Stanley snaped. He motioned around them with both hands and added, “Guests will be arriving in a little while to join us in celebrating our anniversary, so why not go ahead and open that when they’re here? Make a big show of it and everything.”

“Stan…” Xeno’s grip tightened on the envelope. He frowned before he added, “You _know_ that when I’ve got a question in my head I can’t rest until I have the answer. Our relationship is irrelevant.”

A hurt look flashed in Stanley’s eyes at those cold words. He frowned and mumbled, “For a man that’s a genius, you can be _really_ stupid sometimes.”

Stanley hated the sting of the tears that he felt pool in his eyes as well as the fact that he knew Xeno noticed them. All the training in the world couldn’t prepare him for dealing with such a stabbing pain in his chest when it was caused by the one person he loved most. He watched Xeno’s brow knit together as it so often did when he was deep in thought, then his gaze fell back upon the envelope in his hand. Stanley didn’t want any part of this. He turned and stomped out of the room without a second thought.

He grinded his teeth as he hurried to put some distance between them. He didn’t _want_ to know if they were meant to be with others. They were already with each other and had a good life together. No one else was necessary. That seed of doubt would never leave once planted. It'd cause them nothing but heartache. The fact that the sentiment didn’t seem to be shared stung in a way he couldn’t begin to describe. What he really needed right now was a cigarette and some fresh air.

Stanley stomped all the way through the halls until he reached their bedroom. He didn’t pause and marched right through it then out onto the balcony. He walked over to the railing and watched all the caterer’s below hurry to get thing set up for the upcoming celebration. Not that he felt like there was much to celebrate anymore. Stanley reached into his pants pocket and removed a pack of cigarettes. He tapped it on the heel of his hand twice and removed the stick that stuck out. After he put the pack back, he reached into the other pocket and removed the lighter. A quick flick of his thumb later, a flame stood atop it. He lit the cigarette then returned the lighter to his pocket.

The first hit of the cigarette immediately calmed his frazzled nerves. Stanley shut his eyes as he exhaled the smoke. He glanced over to his right at the usual chair he sat in. It was part of the matching patio set that he and Xeno picked out a few years ago because the balcony needed a little something extra to spice it up. The two of them spent countless hours sitting out on this very balcony when the weather was nice enough. Sometimes they didn’t do a thing but hold one another’s hand and enjoy the breeze. He couldn’t think of a more perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Stanley took another drag off his cigarette and held it this time. It had always been the two of them, as far back as he could remember. They'd been an inseparable duo since the day they met in kindergarten. Neither of them could explain it, they just fit. Both of them knew they wanted to be part of one another’s lives since they met.

Middle school was probably the most awkward time for them. Xeno’s intelligence really began to shine, and other children were quick to ostracize him for it. Not that he cared, but Stanley didn’t like to see it. He always made sure to invite Xeno to join in activities even if the answer was no more often than not.

Stanley sat down and took another puff of his cigarette as he got lost in a memory. Middle school was hard on him as well. It was a time of self-discovery and realization on his end. At the time his wavy blond locks fell down past his shoulder blades. If that wasn’t cause enough for the other boys to be mean, Stanley’s realization that he liked to wear lipstick certainly had been.

_“Why is your hair so long? And why are you wearing lipstick? You look like a girl!” Shouted the ringleader of this particular group of boys._

_“Haha girly boy!” Lackey number one joined in._

_Xeno was immediately between Stanley and the other boys. His right arm held his school supplies and he motioned with the left as he shouted, “Leave him alone!”_

_“What are you, his boyfriend? Gross. Don’t touch me or I’ll catch your nerd germs.” Ringleader snorted. He shoved Xeno with both hands as hard as he could, knocking him off his feet. The group of boys laughed when he hit the ground and dropped everything he was holding. They walked away boasting loudly about how a nerd could never stand up to them._

_Stanley gasped then hurried over to kneel by Xeno’s side. He asked if he was all right and was assured that everything was fine. It was when Stanley picked up the other boy’s protractor and found it broken that he started to tear up. He bowed his head and his long locks fell around his face like a curtain. His voice was barely above a whisper as he apologized softly._

_“Never say that again.”_

_Stanley sniffled and then looked up at him. “What?”_

Even now, almost three decades later, he _still_ remembered the look upon Xeno’s face at the time. There was a fire in his eyes unlike anything Stanley had ever seen before. Something wild and full of determination. It screamed that he would not take no for an answer.

_Stanley blinked in surprise when Xeno grabbed his face and squished his cheeks._

_“Never apologize for being yourself,” Xeno elaborated. “You don’t owe anyone else a thing. Live your life the way it makes_ you _happy.”_

_It was in that moment, while his face was being squished by his best friend, that Stanley’s heart fluttered in a way it never had before. He didn’t dare breathe as Xeno released his grip and wiped a tear from his cheek for him. This was when he decided he needed to become stronger. He’d become someone that could protect them both._

The next time he saw Xeno was on Monday morning. Stanley had cut off his long locks over the weekend and was a bit nervous about it. The change was kind of drastic and he wasn’t sure about the decision afterwards. To his surprise, Xeno simply smiled and complimented both the new length and the shade of lipstick he wore. Afterwards, Xeno continued to say that no matter what he did to his appearance he would always be his best friend. Stanley’s heart skipped a beat at Xeno’s words, and he knew then and there that his feelings for the other boy had grown into something else entirely.

Through the years their personal interests varied and took them down different paths, but they stood by each other no matter what. It was during the tail end of high school that Stanley started to become quite popular. He was tall, athletic, and had an air of charisma about him that mesmerized others. Or so he'd been told at the time. By countless people, in fact. Just never the one he wanted. No, that specific boy always had his nose stuck in a textbook no matter what Stanley did to try and get his attention.

It was only after one of their classmates confessed to him in the middle of the hallway and Stanley explained that his heart belonged to another that things changed. Xeno had been with him at the time, as they were headed home together, and his inquisitive nature couldn’t let it be. When they were alone again he asked who exactly it was that Stanley held so dear, as it was news to him. Stanley simply smiled and removed a lollipop from his pocket. He popped it into his mouth and shrugged then muttered that it might’ve been a lie.

Evidently, overthinking that situation was what finally got Xeno to give in and admit his own feelings to himself. Not long after that he admitted them to Stanley, who returned the sentiment tenfold and called him a dummy for not realizing sooner. Stanley still remembered their embarrassed yet heartfelt embrace afterwards. It was one of the happiest moments of his life.

After airing out their feelings they finally started dating. Neither of them looked back since. Xeno was there to see him off with a goodbye kiss when he got called into action, and he was there to greet him with a welcome back kiss when he finally returned home. Sometimes Stanley thought their romance was a bit like something out of a fairytale. Apparently, dreams _could_ come true.

Stanley put out his cigarette in the ashtray on the little table then grabbed himself another and lit it as well. He sat down in his usual chair and let out a sigh. Some strong person he’d become, nearly brought to tears over something as ridiculous as a test. Alas, Stanley knew it wasn’t just about that. It was the fact that Xeno had gone behind his back and sent it in. They didn’t lie to one another. They didn’t keep secrets. Especially not when the potential repercussions could be so awful. This wasn’t something he was prepared to deal with.

Frankly, his reaction was a bit embarrassing. He could count the times he’d gotten that emotional over something on one hand. He shut his eyes and shook his head. It was obvious that Xeno realized that as well. That meant he’d probably have to explain himself later. Ugh, what a pain. The short version was that he had no interest in that stupid test. Soulmates or not, Xeno was the love of his life and nothing could change that. There was no one else for him, science be damned. Saying something like that out loud in this household would be ridiculous. Xeno lived for science and all the wonders it unlocked.

Stanley frowned to himself as he thought about Xeno’s naturally inquisitive nature. He’d never be able to leave well-enough alone. If that stupid piece of paper in the envelope told him there was some perfect match for him out there, well, he’d just _have_ to meet this person. He’d have to know what it was about them that was so perfect for him.

Stanley propped his elbows up on the table and hid his face in his hands. He angled them a bit to make sure to leave enough of a space for his cigarette in the middle. His chest hurt so much at the thought of Xeno with someone else it was unreal.

He stayed on that balcony and smoked another two cigarettes before he finally got bored of that. Stanley pushed the ashtray aside with a huff. At least his nerves weren’t so frazzled anymore. He sat back against the chair and looked up at the clouds in the sky. It was a gorgeous day, really. Perfect for a celebration. His heart felt heavy at the thought.

“Thought I’d find you here.”

Stanley didn’t bother to look at Xeno. He heard the balcony door shut and continued to stare up at the sky. Yup, it sure was interesting. He had no desire to look away. Not even as soft footsteps approached him.

“Stan.” Xeno waited a moment. When there was no response he tried again. “Stanley.”

Stanley continued to stare at the sky as if he didn’t hear a thing. That cloud looked like a puppy. The next one looked like… well, a cloud. Oh, but there were more over there. He could do this all day.

“You can’t keep ignoring me forever,” Xeno sighed.

For a moment Stanley had to wonder if that was an open challenge. Surely the doctor knew him better than that by now.

“Actually, with your training maybe you could,” Xeno tsked. “But I’d prefer it if you didn’t.”

Stanley blinked in surprise when there was suddenly something bright in his face. He grabbed it then let his head fall back down again so he could inspect it. A flower. He stared at the fiery petals as he asked, “Is this–”

“Alstroemeria, yes,” Xeno interrupted. “The same color as the one I bought you on a whim during our first date because it matched the shade of lipstick you were wearing.”

“Honestly, the things you remember all these years later…” Stanley muttered as he looked at the pretty flower. Lillies like these were one of his favorite types of flower for the exact sentimental reason Xeno just mentioned. He honestly didn’t think the guy remembered such a trivial detail.

Try as he might to fight, he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from turning upwards in a little smile. It seemed so inappropriate with how he felt inside but Xeno always did this. He knew how to get him to cheer up even if he didn’t want to. Stanley set the lily down next to the ashtray. He might as well know if Xeno did too. His fingers lingered on the stem and his voice was a mere whisper as he asked, “What did the results say?”

“I wouldn’t know, I didn’t look. I have them here.” Xeno waved the envelope at him.

Stanley glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Technically they could just burn that now and be done with this whole mess. Though that wouldn’t stop Xeno from calling and finding out the results another way. At least they’d both know the truth like this. No secrets. It was a promise they made a lifetime ago.

Even so, Stanley couldn’t bring himself to watch. He turned away when Xeno tore open the envelope. He held his breath as he waited. Any moment now he’d get news. Really great or really awful, he didn’t know, but it’d be news. Stanley’s eyes widened when he heard paper crumple. He looked back at Xeno in time to see him crush it into as small of a ball as possible.

Xeno tossed the ball over his shoulder, clearing the railing in the process. Stanley watched as it plummeted out of his view. Xeno walked over to him and took his hands. He pulled Stanley to his feet then stepped closer to him. He wrapped Stanley’s arms around his waist then finally let go so he could place a hand upon the blond’s cheek.

Xeno maintained eye-contact with him as he said, “It doesn’t matter what some test says, Stanley. You’ll always be the only one for me. I should’ve made that clear from the start.”

Stanley’s bottom lip quivered and he couldn’t stand it. No matter how many years passed, he could never control his pulse when Xeno said something like that to him. He smiled then turned his head and nuzzled the palm upon his cheek. “Right back at ya, Doc.”

He pulled Xeno closer so there wasn’t any distance between them anymore and slid his arms further around him. The doctor returned the embrace without a second thought. In this perfect moment Stanley was left to wonder what he’d ever been upset about. This was all that mattered, after all.

“Doctor Xeno! Hey! Looks like you dropped this!”

The pair stepped away from their embrace and looked over the banister. Carlos, one of the usual caterers, was waving a wrinkly piece of paper in the air and smiling from ear to ear. Before either of them could say a word he shouted excitedly once again.

“Congrats on being soulmates! You two must be even more excited to celebrate today haha!”

Xeno cleared his throat and stepped away from the banister. Stanley offered the man below a crooked smile and a wave as he called, “Yeah, we’re thrilled, thanks Carlos!”

Something caught Carlos’ attention and he scurried off. Well. That just happened. Stanley let out an exasperated sigh then turned around to find Xeno standing right behind him. He grunted when the doctor flicked his forehead without so much as a warning. OK, he might’ve deserved that.

“Nearly brought to tears over nothing,” Xeno sighed. There was a playful gleam in his eyes as he tilted his head to the side and offered the blond a teasing grin then added, “you really haven’t changed at all over the years.”

“You’re not one to talk,” Stanley muttered as he slid his arms back around Xeno’s waist. He pulled the doctor up against him then leaned in and hummed, “Now shut up and kiss me, nerd.”

Xeno lifted his chin to meet him halfway and whispered, “Till death do us part.”

**Author's Note:**

> I still cannot belieeeeeve theyre canon childhood friends aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa  
> These two make me big soft and I just want them to be the sappy gays they are 
> 
> Xeno can and will tease Stan about this for a while :'3
> 
> Theyre so getting 'soulmates' etched into their wedding bands now. inside ofc, where just the two of them know about it


End file.
